Novo and Lilly contender Zealand Pharma heralds its obesity drug alternative: It’s our ‘crown jewel’

Danish biotech Zealand Pharma is targeting the “next generation” of weight loss drugs as competitors pile into a market dominated by heavyweights Novo Nordisk
and Eli Lilly
CEO Adam Steensberg told CNBC that early-stage trials of its experimental obesity injection point to higher-quality weight loss — with reduced muscle loss and fewer side effects — versus traditional GLP-1 treatments. The company is now scouting for a global pharma firm to partner with, he added.
“Our focus is really what’s needed in the 2030s, and it’s really about establishing, you can say, the next-generation molecules that are not based on GLP-1s,” Steensberg said.
Last month, Zealand Pharma announced positive top-line results from a phase 1b trial of its weight loss drug, a GLP-1/GLP-2 receptor dual agonist called Dapiglutide. It puts the company head-to-head with major obesity players Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, whose GLP-1s Wegovy and Zepbound, respectively, have exploded in popularity for their weight loss effects.
However, Steensberg said it’s the company’s separate obesity drug candidate, Petrelintide, a long-acting amylin analog, which could set it apart from the competition, offering an alternative for users who cannot tolerate GLP-1s.
“That’s what we call our crown jewel. This is the one where we have the highest expectations,” Steensberg said.
“We have a very strong feeling that this could become a foundational therapy in the future – something that provides the weight loss that patients are looking for but with the potential for a better tolerability profile,” he added.
Amylin analogs are a nascent form of weight loss treatment. They work by mimicking a hormone that is co-secreted with insulin in the pancreas to increase satiety. This differs from GLP-1 agonists, which mimic incretin hormones produced in the gut to suppress appetite and regulate blood sugar.
“It’s two very different human experiences,” Steensberg said, comparing GLP-1s with amylin analogs. “If you work on satiety, it will be a more pleasant experience. So once you get into it, you can stay long-term [on the] treatment.”
Novo Nordisk is also experimenting with its own version of the treatment, combining the GLP-1 component Semaglutide with amylin analog Cagrilintide in a candidate called CagriSema.
Source: Cnbc